1. National & Regional Ecotourism Strategy & Action Plan for Bulgaria World Tourism Organization – Tourism Policy Forum October 20, 2004 Working Group Sessions Session A: Strategic Assessment, Planning & Implementation Alicia Grimes NRM Specialist USAID/EGAT/NRM Kamelia Georgieva Ecotourism Program Coordinator ARD/BCEG Project

2. USAID in Bulgaria ♦Country support launched in 1990 ♦Biodiversity conservation – cross-cutting theme – US$ 10 million ♦Territorial planning and governance tool National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Park management plans ♦Economic growth tool Non-timber forest products Ecotourism pilot destination models

3. Ecotourism Strategic Planning ♦2002 – International Year of Mountains & Ecotourism ♦Voluntary National Ecotourism Working Group – March 2002 ♦Framework created ♦First National Ecotourism Forum – October 2002 ♦Three ministries sign Protocol at Forum

4. Ecotourism Development: Competitive Cluster Approach ♦Community Ecotourism Associations ♦National domestic ecotourism market survey ♦System of indicators for success and impact measurement ♦Training and manual for ecotourism product development and study tours ♦Destination management plans for two Associations

5. Regional Ecotourism Action Planning 124 actions US $16.8 million

6. National Ecotourism Action Planning ♦11 national “focus groups” planning sessions ♦National definition of Ecotourism ♦Hosts 2 nd National Ecotourism Forum (January 2004) 36 priority actions totaling US $15.4 million

7. Challenges ♦Traditions of mass tourism ♦Understanding sustainable tourism ♦Collaboration among stakeholders ♦Lack of national representative body ♦Absence of national tourism strategy ♦Intensive facilitation to ensure participation under USAID timelines

8. Achievements ♦Generated national pride in culture, hospitality, and environment ♦Created base for product diversification ♦Encouraged concrete local initiatives ♦Created synergies among donors ♦Institutionalized a replicable planning process (NEW Group)

9. Lessons Learned ♦Publicity at national and local levels ♦Strong links with local government ♦Initial focus on domestic markets to build confidence ♦International networking ♦Sustainable tourism development also about social and political engineering ♦Enabling national environment

10. Recommendations ♦Involve all key stakeholders from the very beginning ♦Provide options for rural credit ♦Provide options for human resources development

11. Thank you! www.ecotourism.bulgariatravel.org This project was implemented by ARD, Inc.